Having Lunch with a New Friend

August 18, 2025

On Friday (August 15), Nox needed to go out at sunrise. It had just started to rain with big, heavy raindrops. Since Nox doesn’t mind getting a little wet, I carried her outside. Nox can no longer go down steps, so I had to carry her down the steps. The raindrops were spaced out, so we weren’t getting too wet as I carried her to the grass. I had just set Nox down on the grass when lightning cracked directly overhead. I instinctively ducked as the deafening thunder boomed. Nox was frightened and ran to the door. I followed her, and we made it back into the house safely.

The lighting continued to strike close by; Nox was frightened by the booming thunder. I wrapped her in a towel and held her until she stopped shivering.

The smattering of rain became a downpour.

Nox had to wait until the world stopped roaring at her and the rain stopped before she could go outside.

Once the rain stopped, Nox was able to go outside and do Nox things.

I started a sourdough loaf while it was raining. It stopped raining and I went to check out the garden. The orkra’s blooms were beautiful.

The sweet potatoes’ purple trumpet blooms are lovely.

Bruce called out that it was after eleven, so we needed to head out. I walked back to the house and got into the truck.

We meet my friend and her husband at Ricatoni’s Italian Grill in Florence, AL for lunch. The Friday lunch special was lasagna. Three of us got the lunch special. Bruce had to be different and got pasta with smoked duck sausage. The delicious food was eaten over conversation. After we finished eating, we stayed and talked for an hour or so. I hope we’ll be long-term friends. They are good people.

After we got home, I went outside to get a package from the front porch. I noticed a Salt Marsh moth clinging to the bricks on the side of the house.

Out on the back patio, I noticed a small yellow butterfly nectaring on the mint flowers. It was a Dainty Sulphur. The Dainty Sulphur is the smallest sulphur butterfly in North America.

I shaped the bread dough into a round loaf and let it rise in my boule proofing basket.

We got some more rain in the late afternoon and early evening. Bruce noticed a rainbow.

I heated up my cast-iron Dutch oven to bake the bread in it. Once it was very hot, I flipped the risen boule out of the proofing basket into the hot Dutch oven lined with parchment paper. I scored the bread loaf and put it into the oven to bake.

We watched the sunset from the front porch while sipping drinks. The fireflies provided a beautiful light show.

We could smell the bread baking while we watched the sunset. I was very pleased with how beautiful this sourdough loaf turned out. Here are pictures of the bread loaf on the cooling rack.

After the read loaf had cooled for 30 minutes, I cut into it and buttered four slices. Bruce and I loved the flavor. The crumb was beautiful, but I didn’t think to get a picture of the sliced bread.